Book-like product and method for opening and stuffing same with an insert

ABSTRACT

A book-like product composed of flexible sheets, with given ones of the sheets having indexing means at predetermined index locations of the product for reducing the friction between each two sheets bounding a respective index locations. The indexing means reduces the friction at a zone of the surface of the relevant sheet, and each such reduced friction zone is arranged to be at least partially free of overlapping with regard to the remaining reduced friction zones. There is also disclosed a method of opening such book-like products wherein the product is engaged at the region of one of the reduced friction zones, the sheets of the product are displaced relative to one another at the relevant index location, thereby opening the product at such index location, thereafter an insert is introduced into such index location, and then such operations are repeated at a different reduced friction zone of the product.

United States Patent [191 Reist Sept. 4, 1973 BOOK-LIKE PRODUCT ANDMETHOD FOR OPENING AND STUFFING SAME WITH AN INSERT [75] Inventor:

[73] Assignee: Ferag, Fehr & Reist AG, Hinwil,

Switzerland 221 Filed: Dec.29, 1971 21 Appl. No.: 213,626

Walter Reist, Hinwil, Switzerland [30] Foreign Application Priority DataJan. 12, 1971 Switzerland 420/71 52 us. Cl. 283/38, 283/42 51 Int. Cl I.B42f 21/00 [58] Field of Search 283/36-43, 35; 270/55, 57 i [56]References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,903,277 9/1959 McCoy 283/39FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS Italy 283/42 Primary Examiner-LawrenceCharles Attorney-Paul M. Craig, Jr. et al.

[57] ABSTRACT A book-like product composed of flexible sheets, withgiven ones of the sheets having indexing means at predetermined indexlocations of the product for reducing the friction between each twosheets bounding a respective index locations. The indexing meansreduces,

the friction at a zone of the surface of the relevant sheet, and eachsuch reduced friction zone is arranged to be at least partially free ofoverlapping with regard to the remaining reduced friction zones.

There is also disclosed a method of opening such book-like productswherein the product is engaged at the region of one of the reducedfriction zones, the sheets of the product are displaced relative to oneanother at the relevant index location, thereby opening the product atsuch index location, thereafter an insert is introduced into such indexlocation, and then such operations are repeated at a different reducedfriction zone of the product.

16 Claims, 7 Drawing Figures PATENTEDSEP 4 ms SHEET 1 BF 2 6 a w r a a wBOOK-LIKE PRODUCT AND METHOD FOR OPENING AND STUFFING SAME WITH ANINSERT BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to anew and improved construction of book-like product having flexiblesheets and equipped with so-called index locations for facilitatingopening of the product to such index locations and at which the frictionbetween both sheets bounding each such respective index location isreduced. Additionally, the present invention relates to an improvedmethod of opening such novel constructed book-like products and ifdesired stuffing same with an insert.

The terms index location as used in the context of this disclosure isintended to convey a location or point at the book-like product to whichsame can be conveniently opened. The term book-like product is employedherein in its broadest sense and encompasses by way of example books,magazines, periodicals, pamphlets, newspapers, sample books as used bysalesmen, and is not strictly limited to products having paper sheets.

One such book-like product has at least been inferentially disclosed inSwiss Pat. No. 458,408. This patent relates to an apparatus for openinga multiple-sheet paper product at a predetermined location of reducedfriction and for introducing an insert into the opened paper product.

It is here further to be mentioned that belonging to such book-likeproducts, although not exclusive thereof, are in particular paperproducts. The invention can be realized also for instance at samplebooks having sheets of fabric, plastic or'other flexible materialsdifferent than paper; in brief then, at all book-like products wherethere should be provided preferred index locations i.e. points to whichthe book-like products may be quickly and conveniently opened.

The prior art is also familiar with printed products, for instancepaper-bound, stitched or bonded printed materials wherein the preferredindex locations are visibly marked by means of a so-called manuallygrippable index. Such manually grippable index, for instance, can beformed by tabs or flaps which protrude past the cut or fore edges of thesheets of the printed material and are adhesively bonded to the sheetbordering the desired index location within the printed work. By meansof such tabs it is possible with one manual operation to quickly openthe printed work to each desired index location. However, such indexingtabs are either readily susceptible to damage, or oftentimes areunintentionally torn away if they are relatively stiff in comparisonwith the paper of the printed material or work. Another type of manuallygrippable index device consists of cutouts or notches which are cut-outat the cut edges of all of the sheets of the products up to the locationof the sheet bordering the index location within the work. Such manuallygrippable index is, however, expensive to produce, in particulardisfigures the rectangular shape of the first sheet of the product, thecut or cutting edge of which, particularly if there are to be provided anumber of such index locations, so to speak assumes a serrated or cut-upappearance.

Notwithstanding these drawbacks the so--called manually grippable indexhas fulfilled a widespread need,

especially when used with voluminus text books, reference books,directories, catalogues and the like, where in order to open the printedwork to a certain location or point the cumbersome task of leafingthrough the sheets of the work should be reduced to a minimum.

Another known technique for visibly marking the index locations of aprinted work resorts to coloring a section of the cut edge of the sheetneighboring the relevant index location, so that when the printedproduct is closed this sheet appears in the form of a thin line at thefore or cut edge of the product. This technique of rendering visible thedesired index locations of a work is, however, only suitable for suchprinted products where the cut edges of the sheet are practicallylocated in a single plane, that is to say, for such works where thesheets are cut following binding or stitching. Additionally, it is notvery convenient to use such manually grippable index since in only a fewcases is it possible to readily open the work with a single manualmanipulation to the desired index location.

The foregoing observations just about cover that which is intended to beexpressed with regard to the 'prior art grippable indexes that is, thosepreferred index locations of the work which are visibly marked.

The printed product incidentally disclosed to the art by virtue of thepreviously mentioned Swiss patent possesses a preferred index locationand is not of itself readily suitable for opening to different indexlocations or positions in order to be able to introduce an insert or thelike at each such location, something which is oftentimes extremelydesirable, especially in the case of newspapers and catalogues.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION Hence, from what has been stated above itshould be apparent that the prior art is still in need of printedproducts equipped with indexing means for quickly and easily openingsuch products to desired index locations. Hence it is a primary objectof the present invention to provide a printed product having novelindexing means avoiding the previously discussed drawbacks andlimitations of the prior art constructions. 1

Another and more specific object of the present invention relates to aprinted product equipped with new and improved indexing means for easilyand reliably opening the product to any one of a number of desired indexlocations.

Another objective of this invention is to provide a book-like productwhich, on the one hand, according to a preferred constructionalmanifestation is equipped with visibly marked index locations" in orderto pre' vent the drawbacks of the previously known grippable indexes andwhich, on the other hand, according to a modified inventive embodimentwherein the index locations are not of necessity visibly marked renderspossible automatic insertion of inserts at a number of differentpreferred index locations, and indeed for instance when using one .or anumber of apparatuses, for instance of the type taught in Swiss Pat.Nos. 458,408 and 461,547, whereby inboth cases there are disclosedtechniques constituting improvements upon the procedures disclosed inSwiss Pat. No. 440,339 of US. Pat. No. 3,392,856.

Still a further significant object of the present invention relates to anovel method of opening book-like products and, if desired, insertinginserts or the like therein, such book-like-products having uniqueindexing means for conveniently opening such products to any one of anumber of desired index locations.

Now, in order to implement these and still further objects of thepresent invention, which will become more readily apparent as thedescription proceeds, the proposed book-like product is manifested bythe features that in each instance the friction is reduced at a zone ofthe surface of the appropriate sheets, and that each such reducedfriction zone is arranged so that at least part thereof does not overlapany of the remaining reduced friction zones.

The inventive method of opening such book-like products comprises thesteps of engaging the product at the region of one of the reducedfriction zones, displacing the sheets of the product relative to oneanother at the relevant index location, thereby opening the product atthe index location associated with such reduced friction zone,thereafter introducing an insert into such index location, and thenrepeating such operations at a different reduced friction zone of theproduct.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS The invention will be betterunderstood and objects other than those set forther above, will becomeapparent when consideration is given to the following detaileddescription thereof. Such description makes reference to the annexeddrawings wherein:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a brochure with index locations for thebrochure visibly marked at the cover sheet;

FIG. 2 is a plan view of the sheet bordering or bounding the indexlocation which is marked at the cover sheet of FIG. 1 at the secondlocation from the top, whereby there is shown in phantom lines theposition of the friction-poor zones of the remaining index locations;

FIGS. 3 and 4 illustrate the use of the grippable index of the brochureillustratedin FIG. 1;

FIG. 5 schematically illustrates an embodiment of printed product havingindex locations which are not visibly marked and constituting acomponent of a socalled insert line for opening and possibly stuffingsuch products with an insert or the like;

FIG. 6 is a schematic view of a further embodiment of inventivebook-like product similar to the showing of FIG. 2; and

FIG. 7 illustrates the use of the inventive embodiment book-like productwherein the individual sheets are indeed flexible yet however possessincreased rigidity or stiffness.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Describing now thedrawings, it is to be assumed that the book-like product, i.e., forinstance the brochure illustrated in FIG. 1 possesses more that 100sheets or pages and is equipped with a flexible cover sheet 2. At thecover sheet 2 there are visibly marked five index locations, as shown.This marking is provided with an explanatory text 3, for instance thetitle of the brochure portion beginning at the relevant index locationor, as illustrated, the notation second part, page 27. Furthermore, foreach of the text portions 3 the marking is provided with a grippablezone 4. All of these grippable or manually operable zones 4 aredistributively urranged along the fore or cut edge 6 of the brochure lsituated opposite the spine 5 of such brochure.

In FIG. 2 the sheet of the brochure l at which page 27 is printed hasbeen designated by reference character 7. This sheet 7 thusborders thatindex location of the brochure l which is marked at the cover sheet 2 atthe second location from the top. In FIG. 2 there is also shown inphantom lines the position of all of the other grippable zones 4 whichappear at the cover sheet 2 in a manner as if such were projectedthrough the entire brochure 1.

At the region of the second grippable zone 4 from the top there is nowprovided at sheet 7 a zone 8 equipped with a preferably transparentslide or gliding sheet adhering to such sheet 7 or with a coatednon-visible dry lubricant. This reduced friction zone 8 is indicated bythe cross-hatched area. Suitable for use as the socalled slide orgliding sheet 8 are for instance a glossy lining or laminated coating orplastic foil piece, for instance formed of polyethylene. In the case ofless permanent grippable indexes there are preferably suitable drylubricants such as talcum, stearic acid anhydrides, soap, which can beapplied, for instance sprayed upon the appropriate zones 8 during theprinting operation.

Now as best illustrated in FIG. 3 for the purpose of actuating, i.e.,manipulating this grippable index the brochure l is engaged at its foreor cut edge 6, for instance between the thumb and the index and middlefingers. In this connection, it should be observed that the thumb shouldbe placed upon the grippable zone 4 associated with the desired indexlocation of the work.

Now if the thumb carries out a movement in a manner as if itiwereintended to rub. the brochure 1 between the fingers, then, the brochurewill open exactly at that location where the friction is reduced at thepoint of application of the force.

Of course, the grippable index can also be actuated or manipulated in adifferent fashion. What is important is that there is exerted upon theclosed brochure l, at the region of the grippable zones 4 defining indexmarker means, a force which is directed approximately parallel to thebrochure itself and approximately towards the spine 5 thereof, the pointof force application being approximately at the region of the desiredgrippable zone 4.

In the event that the brochure 1 is provided with a flexurally stiffcover sheet, then, marking of the index locations is undertaken at oneof the first flexible sheets.

The reduction of the friction is not locally limited to the cuttingedges or fore edges 6 situated opposite the spine 5 of the printedmaterial, rather can also be undertaken at the cutting edges mergingwith the spine 5, i.e., the cutting edges extending laterally towardsthe spine, for instance at the top and bottom of the sheets, asindicated for instance at locations 6a and 6b.

The height of the reduced friction zones which are advantageously freeof overlapping portions can, for instance, assume a dimension in a rangeof approximately 30 35 mm. With such dimension it is readily possible tomark approximately 8 10 index locations along the longer cutting edge 6of a brochure having a size format known in Europe as DIN A4,approximately corresponding to letter size stationery in the US. If thisis not sufficient then the remaining cut or cutting edges can beprovided with a grippable index or a further similar grippable index forthe remaining portion of the brochure can be provided at the last indexlocation. In the latter situation the remaining portion of the brochurewould be separated from the first portion of the brochure by areinforcement sheet.

Turning now to the illustration of FIG. 5 such schematically depicts theuse of an embodiment of inventive book-like product possessing indexlocations which are not visibly marked, the products being arranged at aso-called insert line of equipment of the type known in the art andsuitable, for instance, for the stuffing of such paper products with oneor more inserts. As a matter of convenience in illustration there haveonly been depicted for the insert line 21 four product opening stations22. Insert stations, which here have not been particularly shown becausein the context of this disclosure such are not really important for theunderstanding of the inventive concepts, are arranged between suchproduct opening stations 22.

Now a conveyor band or belt 23 travels through all these stations, theconveyor band 23 being arranged in an approximately upright conveyingplane. The conveyor band 23 can be driven stepwise or continuously, asdesired. A chain 24 is also provided which runs synchronously with theconveyor band or belt 23, chain 24 carrying at regular spaced intervalssuitable press or contact arms 25 serving the purpose of pressing one ofthe therewith associated products 9 against the surface of the conveyorband 23. As illustrated, the products 9 travel in an upright positionthrough the insert line 21, the spine of each such book-like productbeing situated lowermost in the depicted arrangement.

In this instance the illustrated products 9 can be compared with thosedepicted in FIG. 2, with the difference that here the five zones 10, ll,12, 13 and 14 which are poor in friction, i.e., the reduced frictionzones, are not visibly marked, whereas in the embodiment of FIG. 2 theposition of the friction-poor or reduced friction zones 8 at the coversheet are visibly marked by means of the grippable or manuallyactuatable fields 4. In this regard attention is again invited to FIGS.1 and 2.

Since with the embodiment of FIG. 5 the preferred index locations at theproducts only serve for the mechanical insertion of inserts into suchindex locations, it is not at all necessary that these index locationsbe visibly marked. However, if such index locations are to be used bothfor the mechanical insertion of the insert and later on also as an indexlocation for opening the product conveniently to a desired location orpoint thereof, then nothing would prelude providing visible markings atleast for those index locations which later are to be visiblydiscernible.

Continuing, it should be appreciated that at the illustrated productopening stations 22 there are provided further stationarily arrangedcontact or press arms 15 which can be moved back and forth in thedirection of the arrows 18. These press arms 15 are controlled in such amanner that they press upon the flat side'of the associated product 9.Actuation of these press arms 15 can be undertaken in any suitablefashion, for instance by means of a cylinder-piston drive or otherappropriate drive means accommodated to the drive of the conveyor band23 and the press arms 25 in such a'manner that at the first openingstation 22 appearing at the left of the showing of FIG. 5 the press arm15 always acts upon a predetermined one of the friction-poor zones to14, for instance at the zone 10, the press arm of the second openingstation 22, viewed from the left of FIG. 5, for instance acting upon afurther friction-poor zone, for example the zone 11, the third press arm15 upon the friction-poor zone 12, and so forth. In other words, theproduct opening stations 22 are designed such and the drive mechanismsof the conveyor band 23 and the press arms 25 and 15 are accommodated toone another such that at each one of the opening stations only one indexlocation is acted upon, that is to say, the product is always opened atany one given station at only one predetermined index location orposition.

Now in FIG. 6 there is schematically illustrated a further embodiment ofinventive book-like product. It will be seen that at the cutting or cutedge 30 opposite the spine 5 of the product there are provided elongatefriction-poor or reduced friction zones 19 which neighbor such cut edge,these friction-poor zones 19 extending obliquely with regard to theassociated cut edge. It should be understood that the force which is tobe applied to the product in this case is also preferably directed inthe same direction as extend the friction-poor zones 19. This has beenschematically indicated by the arrow 18 in FIG. 6.

The invention can also be applied to products which are indeed flexible,however possess sheets which are stiff to a certain degree. Such sheetscan be designated as self-supporting" which in effect means that they,when horizontally held or clamped at one edge, and without any furtherforce being applied only bend through to a slight extend owing to theirinherent weight. In the case of paper of the standard A4 size previouslymentioned, that is, corresponding approximately to letter sizestationery in the United States, these sheets have a weight ofapproximately 100 200 g/m. On the other hand, whereas paper with alesser weight than approximately g/m is usually referred to ascompletely flexible, sheets with the heavier weight are indeedcompletely still bendable, but approach the characteristics ofself-supporting. In the event there is present a product formed of suchsheets then it is advantageous to bend through the entire product beforethe force is brought into play at the region of the friction-poor zones.In this way the inherent stiffness or rigidity of the sheets, whichopposes the bending out or bulging thereof, is broken.

This has been schematically depicted in FIG. 7 where with referencecharacter 5 there is designated the spine of the product, referencecharacter 4 designating the grippable zones, reference character 19 thefrictionpoor or reduced friction zones and reference character 18 thedirection of the force which is to be applied to the product in order toopen same to a desired index position. As shown in FIG. 7 it issufficient to bend the product about a bending axis which extendstransverse to the spine 5, as indicated by the right-hand portion ofFIG. 7, or to bend such about a bending axis extending parallel to thespine 5, as indicated by the left-hand portion of FIG. 7, in order toachieve faultless functioning of the grippable index with minimumapplication of force.

While there is shown and described present preferred embodiments of theinvention, it is to be distinctly understood that theinvention is notlimited thereto but may be otherwise variously embodied and practicedwithin the scope of the following claims.

What is claimed is:

l. A book-like product composed of flexible sheets and containingpredetermined index locations, indexing means provided for given ones ofsaid sheets at said predetermined index locations for reducing thefriction between each two sheets bounding a respective index location,said indexing means reducing the friction at a zone of the surface ofthe relevant sheet, said reduced friction zone being arranged to be atleast partially free of portions which overlap the remaining reducedfriction zones.

2. The product as defined in claim 1, further including marker means forvisibly portraying at least apart of these reduced friction zones atanother sheet.

3. The product as defined in claim 2, wherein said marker means forvisibly portraying at least part of the reduced friction zones areprovided at a cover sheet of the product.

4. The product as defined in claim 1, wherein said indexing meansforming said reduced friction zones bounds at least one cut edge of theproduct.

5. The product as defined in claim 2, wherein said visibly portrayedzones bound at least one cut edge of the product.

6. The product as defined in claim 1, wherein said indexing meansforming said reduced friction zones incorporates a dry lubricant.

7. The product as defined in claim 1, wherein said indexing meansforming said reduced friction zones comprises a glossy material.

8. The product as defined in claim 1, wherein said indexing meansforming said reduced friction zones comprises a plastic material.

9. The product as defined in claim 2, wherein said indexing meansforming said visibly portrayed zones bound at least a cut edge of theproduct, and wherein said visibly portrayed zones are coated with amaterial.

10. The product as defined in claim 9, wherein said coating material isa glossy material.

11. The product as defined in claim 9, wherein said coating material isa plastic.

12. The product as defined in claim 1, wherein said indexing meansforming said reduced friction zones comprises both a dry lubricant and acoating material.

13. The product as defined in claim 12, wherein said coating materialcomprises a glossy material.

14. The product as defined in claim 12, wherein said coating materialcomprises a plastic.

15. The product as defined in claim 1, wherein said indexing meansforming said reduced friction zones bounds at least one cut edge of theproduct, and wherein said reduced friction zones possess an elongateconfiguration and extend obliquely with respect to said cut edge of saidproduct.

16. A method of opening book-like products of the type provided withmeans for reducing the friction between each two neighboring sheetsdefining a respective index location to which the product is to beopened, said means reducing the friction being provided at a zone of thesurface of the relevant sheet of an index location, there being providedas many such zones as there are index locations of the product, theimprovement comprising the steps of: engaging the product at the regionof one of the reduced friction zones, displacing the sheets of theproduct relative to one another at the region of the relevant indexlocation, thereby opening the product at such index location associatedwith said one reduced friction zone, thereafter introducing an insertinto such index location, and then repeating such operations at adifferent reduced friction zone of the product.

1. A book-like product composed of flexible sheets and containingpredetermined index locations, indexing means provided for given ones ofsaid sheets at said predetermined index locations for reducing thefriction between each two sheets bounding a respective index location,said indexing means reducing the friction at a zone of the surface ofthe relevant sheet, said reduced friction zone being arranged to be atleast partially free of portions which overlap the remaining reducedfriction zones.
 2. The product as defined in claim 1, further includingmarker means for visibly portraying at least a part of these reducedfriction zones at another sheet.
 3. The product as defined in claim 2,wherein said marker means for visibly portraying at least part of thereduced friction zones are provided at a cover sheet of the product. 4.The product as defined in claim 1, wherein said indexing means formingsaid reduced friction zones bounds at least one cut edge of the product.5. The product as defined in claim 2, wherein said visibly portrayedzones bound at least one cut edge of the product.
 6. The product asdefined in claim 1, wherein said indexing means forming said reducedfriction zones incorporates a dry lubricant.
 7. The product as definedin claim 1, wherein said indexing means forming said reduced frictionzones comprises a glossy material.
 8. The product as defined in claim 1,wherein said indexing means forming said reduced friction zonescomprises a plastic material.
 9. The product as defined in claim 2,wherein said indexing means forming said visibly portrayed zones boundat least a cut edge of the product, and wherein said visibly portrayedzones are coated with a material.
 10. The product as defined in claim 9,wherein said coating material is a glossy material.
 11. The product asdefined in claim 9, wherein said coating material is a plastic.
 12. Theproduct as defined in claim 1, wherein said indexing means forming saidreduced friction zones comprises both a dry lubricant and a coatingmaterial.
 13. The product as defined in claim 12, wherein said coatingmaterial comprises a glossy material.
 14. The product as defined inclaim 12, wherein said coating material comprises a plastic.
 15. Theproduct as defined in claim 1, wherein said indexing means forming saidreduced friction zones bounds at least one cut edge of the product, andwherein said reduced friction zones possess an elongate configurationand extend obliquely with respect to said cut edge of said product. 16.A method of opening book-like products of the type provided with meansfor reducing the friction between each two neighboring sheets defining arespective index location to which the product is to be opened, saidmeans reducing the friction being provided at a zone of the surface ofthe relevant sheet of an index location, there being provided as manysuch zones as there are index locations of the product, the improvementcomprising the steps of: engaging the product at the region of one ofthe reduced friction zones, displacing the sheets of the productrelative to one another at the region of the relevant index location,thereby opening the product at such index location associated with saidone reduced friction zone, thereafter introducing an insert into suchindex location, and then repeating such operations at a differentreduced friction zone of the product.